Copy of Rain, Rain Go Away by Isaac Asimov

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Transcript of Copy of Rain, Rain Go Away by Isaac Asimov

"Rain, Rain Go Away"written by: Isaac Asimovpresentation by: Kat HanksThe Wright FamilyThe Sakkaro family are a mystery much of the story. They seem to only come out during sunny moments, and stay hidden inside their home otherwise. It is unknown what occupations they hold or where they came from. We do know that Mr. and Mrs. Sakkaro have a son, and their home is quite nice and neat.The Sakkaro FamilyThe Plot ThickensWhile at the park, both families enjoy themselves; the Sakkaros indulge in several sticks of cotton candy and the Wrights invest in tickets for the children. End of the FunOther works by Isaac Asimov*I, Robot (1950)*The Caves of Steel (1954)*The End of Eternity (1955)*The Naked Sun (1957)*Nightfall (1990)

As we begin the story, our omniscient narrator introduces us to the relationship between Lillian and George Wright, a couple living in an unknown suburban neighborhood. George and Lillian's personalities seem to connect well. George is very laid back, while Lillian is active and involved. George listens to Lillian's curious rants and inquiries, while joking with and teasing her. They have a son, Tommie, who is mentioned at the beginning, but not really introduced until later.Lillian's curiosity finally gets the better of her, and she ventures across the street to the Sakkaro household. After touring their stunning home, she invites the Sakkaro's to go to Murphy's Park with herself and her family. Before Mrs. Sakkaro agreed, however, she checked the weather forecast with her husband, and agreed only when they knew it would be sunny.The next day, the two families head off to Murphy's Park. Mr. Sakkaro bring a radio, which is playing the weather forecast. Even with that bit of noise, the two families still engage in conversation all the way to the park.Later, though, the sky begins to darken, and clouds form, forcing the Sakkaros to get home as quickly as possible for an unknown reason. The two families pile back into the car, and race home with the radio blaring the forcast, trying to beat the rain. They reach their homes, and the Sakkaros race into their yard, just as the rain begins to fall. Lillian casually states, "Honestly, you would think they were made of sugar and afraid they would melt." Her statement is completely true and the Sakkaros melt into sticky puddles right in the middle of their yard. Our ThemeJust like with any story, there can be several interpretations to the theme of "Rain, Rain Go Away."In my opinion, the theme of this story would be along the lines of, "Never assume you know who someone reallly is." In this story, the author uses a witty and funny approach to show how little the Wright family actually knew about the Sakkaros. In a real life situation, it could be applied lightly, as in saying you don't know a person is actually a rodeo clown, or it could be applied very seriously, as in finding out you never knew about a person's terminal illness.Literary DevicesThroughout this story, many literary devices are used, such as irony, foreshadowing, and onomatopoeia. Irony: In this story, situational irony is used. You would expect the Sakkaros simply had a dislike for the moisture, humidity, or chill of a rainstorm; you would not expect that they were, in fact, made of sugar and would melt in the rain. Foreshadowing: "I asked for a drink of water and she held the glass underneath the tap and poured slowly so that not one drop fell in the sink itself. It wasn’t affectation. She did it so casually that I just knew she always did it that way. And when she gave me the glass she held it with a clean napkin. Just hospital-sanitary.” Lillian simply assumes this practice is for cleanliness and sanitation reasons, when actually it is giving us a clue to the ending. Mrs. Sakkaro could not let water drip on herself or she would begin to melt. Onomatopoeia: “I’ve heard him. It’s a version of the Chinese water torture. Bang on the wall, biff on the ground, smack in the hand. Bang, biff, smack, bang, biff—” George talks about the Sakkaro child's ritual of playing catch with the side of his home. He uses words to describe the sounds, that are also the actual sounds the ball makes.ImageryThis story is full of imagery. Here are a few quotes: "The Sakkaros were each holding three sticks of cotton candy, huge swirls of pink foam consisting of threads of sugar dried out of frothy syrup that had been whipped about in a warm vessel. It melted sweetly in the mouth and left one feeling sticky.""A wind had sprung up, driving the dust of the weeks-dry road before it, when they entered the street on which they lived, and the leaves rustled ominously. Lightning flickered.""The heavens opened and the rain came down in giant drops as though some celestial dam had suddenly burst. The top of their car was pounded with a hundred drum sticks, and halfway to their front door the Sakkaros stopped and looked despairingly upward. Their faces blurred as the rain hit; blurred and shrank and ran together. All three shriveled, collapsing within their clothes, which sank down into three sticky-wet heaps."My Reaction!Personally, I really enjoyed this story. It had a lot of dialogue, which I enjoy a lot in stories. It kept you interested, as well, and had a very unexpected ending. I like the author's use of an old saying as a foundation to build an entire story upon. It shows his creativity and skillful writing ability. He was also able to develop the characters in a short space, which can be very tricky.BibliographyAsimov, Isaac. "Rain, Rain Go Away". Web. 19 Feb. 2013. <http://schools.hsd.k12.or.us/Portals/99/Staff%20Folders/Misc_%20Documents/Rain%20Rain%20Go%20Away%20Story.pdf>.SettingWe are never specifically given a location as to where this story takes place. In my mind, I pictured a perfect, quiet, 1950s suburban cul-de-sac. Each home was painted a pastel color, with bright trimmings, and a well-mancured lawn, surrounded by a white picket fence. The windows had silky, sheer curtains and the doors held knockers and knobs of shiny silver. The people in the neighborhood had sleek Chevrolet Belairs and clean, pleated clothes. "1951 Chevrolet Belair". Photograph. "Chevrolet Photo Gallery by Richard Doody". PBase. Web. 7 Mar. 2013. <http://www.pbase.com/rpdoody/chevrolet_50s>"1950s Family Life". Photograph. "APUSH1920sVS1950s". Web. 7 Mar. 2013. <http://apush1920svs1950s.wikispaces.com/Religion>."My First Little Sugar People!" Photograph. "Sugar Penguin Cakery". 18 Oct. 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2013. <http://www.sugarpenguin.com/2011/10/my-first-little-sugar-people.html>.